The present invention relates generally to a film package, and more particularly to a package for storing a plurality of sheet film therein.
Sheets of material, such as paper and film, are generally packaged for sale and/or transport. If the sheet material is comprised of a photosensitive material, such packaging needs to be light-tight so as to not adversely affect the photosensitive characteristics of the sheet material prior to use.
For example, radiation image films are widely used in the medical field for photographing objects such as human bodies with x-rays for medical diagnosis. The x-ray film sheets are stored in a magazine or cassette and taken out one-by-one by a sheet delivery system. Such x-ray sheet film is photosensitive, so the packaging for sale and/or transport must be light-tight.
Further, when loading the x-ray film sheets into the magazine, they must not be exposed to extraneous light. Accordingly, it had been general practice to load the sheet film into the magazine or cassette (or other package receiving device) in a dark room. However, since the efficiency of such a loading process is low, there is a demand for loading x-ray sheet film in a day-light or room-light (i.e., ordinary light) environment/conditions.
Various methods have been proposed for light-tight packages for loading x-ray film sheets in a room light environment. Examples of x-ray film packages and light-tight film sheet packages are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,755 (Kausch) commonly assigned and incorporated herein by reference, U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,389 (Plessers et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,694 (Tajima et al), U.S. Pat. No. 3,741,386 (Schmidt) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,933,696 (Schmidt et al.).
While such apparatus may have achieved certain degrees of success in their particular applications, a need continues to exist for a robust light-tight film sheet package which can be readily loaded in a magazine/cassette in day-light conditions while not adversely affecting any photosensitive characteristics of the film sheets.
Accordingly, a need continues to exist for a light-tight package adapted to be loaded into a package receiving device while maintaining light integrity.
An object of the present invention is to provide a light-tight film sheet package.
Another object of the invention is to provide such a light-tight package which can be loaded into a package receiving device in room light conditions.
These objects are given only by way of illustrative example. Thus, other desirable objectives and advantages inherently achieved by the disclosed invention may occur or become apparent to those skilled in the art. The invention is defined by the appended claims.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a package for enclosing a plurality of sheets. The package comprises a pouch adapted to receive the plurality of sheets, a leader, and a closure member. The pouch comprises a leading end and open along a trailing end opposite the leading end to receive the plurality of sheets. The trailing end is folded back at least once to form a closure flap to light-tightly close the pouch. The leader is attached to the pouch at the leading end and is folded back onto the pouch. The closure member includes a first end affixed to the leader, a second end affixed to the closure flap, and a rupturable portion disposed adjacent the first end. When the rupturable portion is ruptured, the first end separates from the closure member and adheres to leader while the remaining portion of the closure member adheres to the closure flap by the second end.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a package for enclosing a plurality of sheets comprising a pouch, a leader, and at lease one closure member. The pouch is adapted to receive the plurality of sheets, and comprises a leading end and a trailing end opposite the leading end. The pouch is open along the trailing end to receive the plurality of sheets, with the trailing end being folded back at least once to form a closure flap to light-tightly close the pouch. The leader is disposed at the leading end of the pouch and folded back onto the pouch. The at least one closure member includes a first end, a second end, a top side, and a bottom side, a first attachment area disposed at the first end on the bottom side, a second attachment area disposed at the second end on the bottom side, a non-attachment area disposed on the bottom side intermediate the first and second attachment areas, an adhesive disposed on the first and second attachment areas, and a rupturable portion disposed at the first end adjacent the first attachment area. The first attachment area is adhered to the leader. The second attachment area is adhered to the closure flap, such that when the rupturable portion is ruptured, the first end separates from the closure member and adheres to the leader at the first attachment area and the remaining portion of the closure member adheres to the closure flap at the second attachment area.
The present invention provides a light-tight package adapted to be loaded into a package receiving device in room light conditions.